If you grew up in Madhya Pradesh and wanted a uniform job with real authority, Sub Inspector is usually the first post that comes to mind. It's the officer who runs an investigation, signs the case diary and stands in front of the thana when things go wrong. Good pay, good respect, and a promotion ladder that can take you to DSP.
Now the honest part. MP Police SI direct recruitment has been stuck for years. Aspirants have been waiting cycle after cycle while Constable recruitment keeps happening. So before you plan your whole year around this one exam, read this page fully and keep a backup exam running in parallel.
Latest notification status and important dates
As of 30 July 2026, there is no confirmed MP Police SI notification live on the MPESB portal that we can verify from here. Anything you see on Telegram with a fixed date and a fixed vacancy number is almost certainly guesswork.
| Event | Status (as of July 2026) |
|---|---|
| Official notification | Not confirmed. Long-pending recruitment |
| Conducting body | MPESB (Madhya Pradesh Employee Selection Board), earlier MP Vyapam / PEB |
| Application window | To be announced with the notification |
| Written exam date | Tentative, will appear in the MPESB annual calendar |
| Admit card | Usually 3 to 5 days before the exam, via MPESB portal |
| Physical test (PPT) | After the written result |
Do this instead of refreshing rumour channels. Check the MPESB official website once a week, keep an eye on the MP Police official site, and follow our exam news updates so you don't miss the day it drops.
What the job actually is
A Sub Inspector is a station-house level officer. In practice, your day looks like this. FIRs land on your table. You go to the spot, record statements, collect evidence, and file the challan in court within the time limit. You handle law and order duty during festivals, elections and VIP movement. You supervise Head Constables and Constables under you.
Postings can be anywhere in Madhya Pradesh, from a busy Indore thana to a small station in Sheopur or Dindori. Transfers happen. Twelve-hour days are normal, and during election season you can forget about weekends. If you want a desk job with fixed hours, this is not it.
There are also specialised posts at the same level: Subedar, Platoon Commander (SAF), SI (Radio / Technical). The written paper differs slightly for technical posts.
Vacancy details
The last large-scale SI level recruitment in MP filled roughly 600 posts across Subedar, SI (Non-Technical), SI (Technical) and Platoon Commander. There is no confirmed vacancy figure for the next cycle yet.
Expect the same shape again. Subedar and SI (Non-Technical) take the biggest share, Platoon Commander posts sit in the SAF battalions, and SI (Radio / Technical) has a small number of seats needing a science background. Horizontal reservation applies for women, ex-servicemen and home guards. Non-domicile candidates are treated as unreserved whatever their home-state category.
Eligibility
Age limit
Reference figures from the last cycle. Verify against the fresh notification when it comes out.
| Category | Age limit |
|---|---|
| MP domicile, unreserved male | 18 to 33 years |
| SC / ST / OBC (MP) and all female candidates | 18 to 38 years |
| Non-domicile / outside MP | 18 to 28 years |
| Ex-servicemen | As per MP government rules |
| Home Guard / departmental candidates | Additional relaxation as notified |
Education
Graduation in any stream from a recognised university for Subedar, SI (Non-Technical) and Platoon Commander. For SI (Radio / Technical) you generally need a science degree with Physics and Maths, or an engineering diploma in electronics or a related branch.
Physical standards
| Standard | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Height (Gen/OBC/SC) | 168 cm | 155 cm |
| Height (ST) | 160 cm | 155 cm |
| Chest (unexpanded / expanded) | 81 cm / 86 cm | Not applicable |
Physical Proficiency Test usually includes an 800 metre run, long jump and shot put for men, with relaxed standards for women. The PPT is qualifying, but people fail it every single year because they trained only for the paper. Start running now, not after the result.
Application process and fee
The whole process runs online through the MPESB portal and MP Online kiosks.
- Register on esb.mp.gov.in and get your application number.
- Fill personal details exactly as they appear on your Class 10 marksheet.
- Upload a recent photo and signature in the given size.
- Pay the fee online. MP Online portal charges are added on top.
- Save the PDF. Corrections are allowed in the correction window, but they carry an extra fee.
| Category | Approximate fee |
|---|---|
| Unreserved / other state | Rs 500 |
| SC / ST / OBC / PwD (MP domicile) | Rs 250 |
| MP Online portal charge | Rs 60 approx (extra) |
Exam pattern
The last SI cycle used a two-paper written exam. Treat this as the working model until the new notification confirms it.
| Paper | Subjects | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Studies, General Knowledge, Reasoning, Maths, Science, Computer, MP GK | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
| Paper II | Subject paper (varies by post: General Hindi/English or Science & Maths for technical posts) | 100 | 100 | 2 hours |
Other points that matter:
- Questions are objective, mostly bilingual (Hindi and English).
- No negative marking has been the norm in MPESB papers, but confirm it in the notification.
- MPESB adds 5 bonus marks for candidates who apply through MP Online kiosks in some recruitments.
- Physical Proficiency Test, document verification and medical follow the written stage.
Get used to the MPESB question style early with free online mock tests and topic-wise practice sets.
Detailed syllabus
General Knowledge and Madhya Pradesh GK
Indian history with focus on the freedom struggle, Indian polity and the Constitution, geography of India and MP, economy basics, and MP-specific content: districts, rivers, national parks, tribes, folk dances, festivals, state schemes, sports personalities, and important MP government decisions. MP GK is where local candidates beat everyone else. Don't treat it as a side subject. Our General Awareness guide covers the national portion well.
Current Affairs
Last 8 to 12 months of national and international news, plus heavy MP-state news: new schemes, cabinet decisions, appointments, awards, sports. Read one page a day from our daily current affairs instead of binge-reading a year in one week.
Reasoning
Series, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense, syllogism, seating arrangement, puzzles, analogy, classification, statement and conclusion, non-verbal reasoning like mirror images and paper folding. This is the highest scoring section. Work through the reasoning guide chapter by chapter.
Mathematics
Number system, simplification, percentage, ratio and proportion, average, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, time and work, time speed distance, mensuration, algebra basics, data interpretation. The level is roughly Class 10. Speed matters more than difficulty. The quantitative aptitude guide has the shortcuts.
Science
Physics: motion, force, light, sound, electricity. Chemistry: elements, acids and bases, everyday chemistry. Biology: human body systems, diseases, nutrition, plant biology. Keep it at NCERT Class 6 to 10 level.
Computer Knowledge
Basics of hardware and software, MS Office, internet and email, shortcut keys, common terms. Easy marks. Finish it in a week.
General Hindi and English
Hindi: sandhi, samas, upsarg, pratyay, muhavare, vilom, paryayvachi, vakya shuddhi, apathit gadyansh. English: tenses, articles, prepositions, active-passive, direct-indirect, synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitution, comprehension.
Salary, allowances and promotion
MP Police SI sits in Pay Matrix Level 9 of the MP pay structure, with a basic pay starting around Rs 36,200 and a scale running up to about Rs 1,14,800.
| Component | Approximate monthly |
|---|---|
| Basic pay | Rs 36,200 |
| Dearness Allowance | As per current DA rate |
| House Rent Allowance | Depends on city class |
| Other allowances | Uniform, kit, ration and duty allowances |
| Rough in-hand | Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 |
Probation is usually two years, and in-hand during training is lower. Promotion path: Sub Inspector to Inspector, then DSP through departmental promotion. Move up fast and a DSP posting before retirement is realistic, though the queue is long and seniority rules the game.
Compared to central jobs at the same entry level, the money is decent and you stay inside your home state. That last part is worth a lot to most MP candidates.
Previous year cut-off
MPESB has not published a recent SI cut-off because the recruitment itself has not run in years. From the last cycle, safe scores looked roughly like this out of 200:
| Category | Indicative safe score |
|---|---|
| Unreserved | 130 to 145 |
| OBC | 120 to 132 |
| SC | 110 to 122 |
| ST | 100 to 115 |
Treat these as rough markers only. With a small vacancy count and years of backlog aspirants, the next cut-off could go higher.
Books and preparation strategy
Books that work here: Lucent GK, an MP GK book from any Bhopal publisher, R S Aggarwal for reasoning and maths, NCERT science for Class 6 to 10, and one Hindi grammar book. Skip the fat guides that promise everything.
A four-month plan that fits a working candidate:
- Month 1: Finish maths and reasoning basics. One chapter a day, then 20 questions on it.
- Month 2: MP GK and static GK. Make one-page notes per topic. Start running for the PPT three days a week.
- Month 3: Science, computer, Hindi and English grammar. Begin full-length mocks every Sunday.
- Month 4: Only revision, mocks and error logs. Two mocks a week, and spend twice as long analysing as attempting.
Free study material is on our Reading Room, and a ready timetable is on the study plan page.
Honest advice and common mistakes
Waiting for the SI notification and studying nothing else is the biggest mistake MP aspirants make. Since the syllabus overlaps heavily, prepare for SSC CGL or RRB NTPC at the same time. If uniform is your goal, SSC GD Constable runs every year with big vacancy numbers.
Other traps. Ignoring physical training till the last month. Reading MP GK from random PDFs instead of one fixed source. Attempting mocks and never checking why you got questions wrong. Skipping Hindi grammar because you speak Hindi at home, which is not the same thing as knowing samas and sandhi.
Competition here is brutal. A few hundred posts against lakhs of graduates who have been waiting years. Go in knowing that.
Related reads on Pareeksha
- MP Patwari exam guide
- MP Police Constable recruitment
- MPPSC State Service Exam
- MP Jail Prahari guide
You'll find every state and central exam we cover on the exam guides hub.
FAQ
Is the MP Police SI 2026 notification out? Not confirmed as of July 2026. Watch esb.mp.gov.in for the official release.
Who conducts MP Police SI recruitment? MPESB, the Madhya Pradesh Employee Selection Board, formerly known as MP Vyapam or PEB.
What is the minimum qualification? Graduation in any stream. Technical SI posts need a science or engineering background.
What is the age limit? Roughly 18 to 33 for MP domicile unreserved candidates, with relaxation up to 38 for reserved categories and women. Confirm in the notification.
Is there negative marking? MPESB papers have generally had no negative marking, but always check the current notification.
What is the height requirement for men? 168 cm for most categories, 160 cm for ST candidates.
How much is the in-hand salary? Roughly Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 a month after allowances, lower during probation.
Can candidates from outside MP apply? Yes, but they are treated as unreserved and get no age or fee relaxation.
Is the exam in Hindi? Papers are usually bilingual, so you can attempt in Hindi or English.
What should I study first? Reasoning and maths, because they take the longest to build. GK can be layered on later.
Final word
This is a strong post with genuine authority and a fair salary, but the recruitment calendar has not been kind to SI aspirants in Madhya Pradesh. Prepare seriously, keep your running shoes in use, and keep a second exam alive so a delayed notification doesn't cost you a year.
Start today with one full mock test to find out where you actually stand. The score will be lower than you expect, and that's exactly the point.
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